If you suffer from a flood in your house, either from natural causes or a burst pipe, returning home can be a long process of cleaning, sanitizing, and restoring your home. If you have a baby, the process can be even more difficult. With the help of a professional team, the difficult and emotional parts of restoring your home can be taken care of. However, you may want to know how to clean and sanitize some of your child's personal belongings for immediate use. This article will help with the entire restoration process.

Arrange Safe, Clean Childcare

Your first priority should be to make sure your child is in a safe place. While you are restoring your home to a livable condition after a flood, it is not a safe place for a young child. You will want to be able to concentrate on going through your belongings and thoroughly cleaning everything that has been contaminated by flood waters, so it is best to leave your child with a childcare provider while you return to your home.

You should keep in mind that if the damage is extensive and you are not utilizing the help of a professional restoration company, the process may take several days. You will have to decide if you will be sleeping at home or returning to your little one each evening. Since floods can be traumatic experiences for children, it is important to leave them with someone they know and trust and to spend plenty of time with them.

Cleaning and Sanitizing Toys

All of your child's toys that have been touched by flood water need to be sanitized. You can sanitize them with boiling water or a capful of bleach in one gallon of water. First, rinse them in clean water, then dip them in boiling water or bleach water for 2-3 minutes. Finally, let them dry in the sun.

Many electronic games may be salvageable if you do not turn them on until they are fully dry. However, if your child's toys have cracks and crevices that might hold flood water, you will have to get rid of them.

Washing Bedding and Clothes

Clothes and bedding can be washed in your washing machine at the highest temperature available. First, you should rinse any mud or debris off in clean water. Then, place items in your washing machine. Run a rinse cycle and then use an appropriate laundry detergent with bleach.

For items such as cloth diapers with PUL or other synthetic materials that cannot withstand hot water, you should use bleach. Then, put them out in the sun to dry as the sun can help to kill bacteria and mold.

Play mats, mattresses, or any toys with a thick plush that cannot be washed should be discarded. Unfortunately, these thicker items will not dry out quickly enough to prevent the growth of harmful mold.

Restoring and Sanitizing Your Home

The rest of your home may take an extended period of time to clean and dry out. If at all possible, you should hire professionals who know what hazards to look for as well as what can be salvaged. They will use special equipment that will greatly reduce the drying time of your home and may be able to save much of your carpet and furniture.

If you cannot afford a professional team, you should make sure that your house is completely dry and there is no water or mud left in places that your baby may find when they return to your home.

While experts are restoring your home, you can take some of your child's cherished toys that you have sanitized to them to help calm them and reassure them that life will return to normal.

About Me

When I am not working at my 9-5 job, my favorite hobby is helping out with local theater productions. While I don't act, I perform just about any task they need done behind-the-scenes, and I love doing my part to help the community. My favorite task is building stage sets, and I look forward to every new one I get to build. I take pride in my great craftsmanship and creativity when building, and I have never had a set that the actors and directors didn't love. I also love working around the house, so I decided to start a blog where I could share my construction tips of all types. Whether you are a home DIY enthusiast or looking for some design inspiration before you hire a local building contractor, come back soon for plenty of tips!